Like yeast in a beer barrel, Alex Lynch has been patient for the last several years.
In June, the D.C. native had enough beer brewed to open Mieza Blendery at 109 Clermont Street in Alexandria’s West End. With 12 distinct flavors this season, Lynch opened his tasting room to the public.
Lynch is now making beer for next year, blending berries and other flavors to make distinct beer, like his “Moon Driven Sea,” a barrel-aged American sour ale with elderberries, or “Keeper of the Dance,” a barrel aged blond sour with apricot and green cardamon.
“There’s just something about the simplicity and humanity and control of making beer,” Lynch said. “It goes back to our very roots of civilization. There’s a lot of art to it.”
Lynch started brewing professionally in 2011, after graduating from the University of Virginia. He spent years learning brewing at Lost Rhino Brewing Company in Ashburn and at Bear Republic Brewing Company’s quality control lab in Sonoma County, California. In preparation of Mieza Blendery’s opening, he made his batches at Dynasty Brewing Company in Ashburn.
“I can make something that never could have been made in a single batch,” Lynch said.
Lynch says he next wants to host public blending sessions at his blendery.
“It will be great to have events every week where I pull a keg off of given barrel day and people can have the different samples in front of them and try to create a blend with them,” Lynch said. “I think that’s the only way to sort of get a sense of the magic of it.”
The Mieza Blendery tasting room is now open Friday from 3 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m.